Weekly Trade Bait #10 – Birthday Boxes Week 2 of 11

I’m back with what I hope will be a regular series.  Did you miss the other installments?  Well, you can either scroll down a couple posts or check out the “Trade Bait” link at the top of the blog.  There’s a 1/1, some other low numbered parallels and a few good autos among others in there. Also, stickers!

A day late, but not a pack short.  Let’s get right into the good stuff.  Here’s week 2 of my pack busting adventures. As always, all Cardinals are going to Madding and all Rangers to Play at the Plate unless they tell me otherwise, because I am deeply in dept to both of them.

Studio 3

Zack Greinke
Preston Wilson
Gustavo Chacin
Mark Prior – Portraits – Zenith Sepia  B&W #/40 – CLAIMED (Miriam)
Cristian Guzman
J.J. Putz

3 packs, 3 portraits.  I know this won’t keep up, but I wish it would. Oh, and by the way, Preston Wilson wants YOU to claim some of these cards and trade me some of yours.

Studio 4

Tony Pena
Scott Podsednik
Rafael Furcal
Vinny Castilla
Alfonso Soriano – CLAIMED
David Ortiz – Masterstrokes Die Cut #/150

Hasn’t been a bad couple weeks for the Red Sox.  I’m pretty sure there are non-die cut versions of this insert, too.

UD Piece of History 3

Phil Hughes
Matt Holliday – RESERVED (Madding)
Josh Hamilton – CLAIMED
Justin Morneau
Bill White – CLAIMED
Rob Johnson
Gettysburg Address – CLAIMED (PATP)
Justin Upton – Stadium Scenes Red #149

I think my favorite aspect of this box is the numbered card in virtually every pack.

UD Piece of History 4

Jonathan Papelbon
Alex Gordon
Mark Teixeira
Rich Harden
Joe Koshansky
Bronson Sardinha
Battle of the Alamo  – CLAIMED (PATP)
Chase Utley – Box Score Memories Red #149

Hey, look at that! Two more rookies I’ve never heard of!  The Utley helps ease the pain of that a little bit.

Pinnacle 3

Shane Victorino
James Shields
Matt Harvey
Elvis Andrus – CLAIMED
Albert Pujols/Frank Thomas – Team Pinnacle – NOT FOR TRADE
Adam Jones
Henry M. Rodriguez
Jaye Chapman

Alright! I finally got a card for my collection.  Sure it looks like a Pujols card, but it’s actually double-sided.  The reverse is a non-foil picture of Frank.  There are two versions of each of these.  The other will have Frank in foil. TBD if I find that in the box.

Pinnacle 4

C.J. Wilson
Dayan Viciedo
Ricky Nolasco
Yoenis Cespedes
Derek Jeter/Cal Ripken Jr. – Team Pinnacle
Zack Greinke
Mike Zunino
Kyuji Fujikawa

Two Cubs rookies in two packs.  I hope Fujikawa comes back strong next year. If so, it will be like signing a free agent in the off-season.  You know, one that we’re paying out the ass for already.

Hometown 2-1

Willie Horton
Ryne Sandberg
Curt Schilling
Kent Hrbek
Cole Hamels
John Kruk
Ian Kinsler – CLAIMED
Pat Burrell

Phillie heavy first third.  By the way, is Schilling really a Hall of Fame caliber guy? I don’t get that impression thinking back on his career at all.

Hometown 2-2

Frank Thomas – NOT FOR TRADE
Roy Halladay
Shawn Green
Pablo Sandoval
Alex Gordon
Stephen Strasburg
Mike Schmidt
Dan Petry

Boy, Philly is still coming through big time in this pack.  I also got another Frank.  I’m showing the back, because I’ll showcase all my personal collection finds individually in a separate post when I’m all done.

Hometown 2-3

Mike Greenwell
Ian Kinsler – State Parallel – CLAIMED
Ken Griffey Jr. – Defining Moments – CLAIMED (Nick M.)
Jose Bautista
Willie McGee – CLAIMED
Bryce Harper
Ben Zobrist
Bo Jackson

Only 2 inserts/parallels in this pack.  I looked to see if I got an SP as a third non-base, but it doesn’t appear to be so.  Interesting that I found both Kinslers in the same stretch.  I’m hoping Brian enjoys that bit of luck.

Alright, Bo knows we have 9 more weeks of pack busting fun still ahead of us.  Until then, claim away and I’ll be back with another post at some point in my life!